Monday, May 11, 2015

GUYS, MI VIDA LOCA IS COMING BACK

Ohmygosh, The Palette That Got Away, Kat Von D's rainbow palette called Mi Vida Loca, is coming back and better than ever! 

Let's bask in the pictures, shall we?
It's blurry because she can't show us yet
Ogod YES real artwork again!
Last time, the palette only had your standard 8 or so shades, but it looks like this time around we get a FULL GODDAMN RAINBOW.  YES!  And what's with those middle shades?  I don't care, this is going to be an instabuy.  I am going to be stalking KVD on Sephora.com every. single. day.

ARE YOU AS PUMPED AS I AM?!



Thursday, April 23, 2015

Ipsy Glam Bag April 2015 Review!


My goodies!

So, this was my first month getting the Ipsy Glambag.  For those of you who haven't heard of it, Ipsy is a $10/month surprise bag filled with makeup samples and sometimes even full-sized products.  It's about exploring new brands and things, and $10 is pretty cheap, so I decided I'd give it a go.

THE BAG.  It's actually really cute.

The bag itself is surprisingly well put-together--I was expecting something really flimsy and made of cheap plastic. 

I was pretty upset about two of my items:  The fragrance and the cleanser.  I have really sensitive face issues and I have my skincare regimen down, so I refused to try the cleanser (at the risk of having a blowout) and will just give it to a friend.  I gave it an abysmal review (Sorry, Hey Honey!) so that I won't get skincare products ever again.  I also sent Ipsy a scathing email about receiving something I made sure to avoid in my "Profile," and they sent a really kind, professional reply, so I'm happy with that.  Their suggestion, which is echoed by my friends who also use the bag, is to make sure I review all my product contents.  Eventually the algorithm or whatever they use will figure out to never, ever give me skincare products.

Or fragrance.  I stupidly said I liked fragrance in my profile, and I've changed it.  The fragrance I got in my bag smelled like your standard floral, old lady something-or-other, but I'm sure other people would be thrilled to get such a large fragrance in a bag!
Now HERE we go


Everyone got a theBalm Cosmetics eyeshadow sample in their bag, which is super exciting, because I've heard great things about the brand and have been wanting to try them!  This shadow met my expectations, having great pigmentation and applying as I would expect a high-quality eyeshadow to apply.  I'm sad I got the "white bread" color, though--other people got a purple one! D:

Have a really bad photo of it on my eyeball using Fit!

A sorta "meh" item for me was the Starlooks lipgloss.  I mean, it's fine, it's a lipgloss, it's got this retro 90's frost thing going for it, but I have other lipglosses.  I will use this one.  It didn't shatter my world (like the MUFE Plexigloss, which I'll tell you aaall about tomorrow!).

Please ignore my awful thumb, kthx.

Bad swatch is bad--my camera felt rebellious today.
I wore KVD Studded lipstick in Cathedral under the gloss.


 Now, the main item in my bag was a Hikari Cosmetics blush in "Tango."  At first I rolled my eyes and was like, "Oh.  Blush.  Yay./sarcasm,"  but it's actually rather good.  The color is a lot more flattering blended out than it appears in the pan, and it's a full-sized product!  At $15, it more than pays for the cost of the bag, which is pretty cool.

Full-sized blush, ooooh!
Click to embiggen.  It's actually quite pretty!

So, overall, I'm satisfied.  Initially I was pissed about the skincare and the fragrance, because other people got fancy lipsticks, but you really do get a good value out of the bag.  I'll see where the next few months take me!  If you decide you want to try the Glam Bag out, please use my referral link ;) 

Full face of my Ipsy products!

Friday, April 10, 2015

Sugarpill Chromalust Loose Eyeshadow Asylum Review!


I loveloveLOVE Sugarpill's Chromalust loose eyeshadows!  This post will focus on the red one, Asylum, because it's the best.  It's super sparkly, yet metallic, and is pure love.  I use Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy as a base, then pack Asylum on over it.  A little goes a really long way, ao I think one jar will last approximately forever.

Forreeevverrrrr.
So gorgeous.  Click to embiggen!
There's no primer there.  Yup.

There's really not much else that can be said about this product.  It's just a solid product.  I even chose it as my eyeshadow of choice for my wedding makeup, and practically everyone commented on how beautiful it was!  I'm sorry I have no more words, but seriously, this is the shit.  You know how there are some things that you just put them on and you think, "Yeah.  This is It."?

This it It.

But enough about that, have a look at Asylum IN ACTION:

Sugarpill Bulletproof and Concrete Minerals Black Metal in the outer crease.

It's seriously the best red I have.





So, what are you waiting for?  GET ASYLUM NOOOOOWWW.  Or any of the other colors, really.  All of them, in fact. 

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Sugarpill Sparkle Baby Palette Swatches and Thoughts

I've had the Sparkle Baby palette for quite some time now, and was practically salivating for months until I finally got it.  It has gorgeous colors, a kitten on the front, and that's just what dreams are made of, right?!

Kittens!

Well, mostly.  I already have the Kat Von D Esperanza palette, and they're praaactically identical, except the KVD palette has one of the best purples of my life and a few more shades, so I was kindof bummed.

Close-up of the goods!

This is SO PRETTY, and the name omg!

 I have problems getting this one to work on my eyeball :(

Frosty minty color, woot woot.

This one had the best color payoff for me, which is the opposite of everyone else's experience??




My eyeballs also don't show these kinds of pastel colors very well at all, even with a white sticky base.  So, either I'm doing something wrong, or people Photoshop the fuck out of their looks using these colors, or maybe I'm just not packing on enough color.  But I PACK IT ON SO MUCH, GAIZ. 

Anyway, before I wax poetic any further, here's the swatch:

They're so hard to see. And I used primer, even!
And I've tried So. Many. Times to use this on my face to show you for a review, but it just will NOT photograph.  It looks pretty enough in person, but just will not pick up in a photo.  It's a pity, especially the Frostine shade, because it's actually got a pink chrome shift to it that you can see in the pan, but never shows up on the eyeball.  Again, it might be user error, buuut I dunno.  Honestly, after all done, the only color that really stands out is Hotsy Totsy, which a lot of beauty bloggers said was the problem shade of the palette!  So I'm clearly just backwards or something.

Here's the best I could do.  I used ALL the colors.  A lot.

So, there you have it!  It's not really a palette I reach for often, but Spring is upon us and I'll be reaching for these kinds of shades more.  I think I'll try mixing it with the Esperanza palette and see what happens!




Friday, March 20, 2015

Let's all calm down about some lipstick, shall we?

As I was perusing Facebook yesterday, I came across this post by Kat Von D.  Basically, some people were calling out Sephora for her lipstick shade called "Underage Red," demanding they pull it.  Kat defended the name, and said that she refuses to pull it.  I always thought of the name "Underage Red" as the kind of bright, crazy red that teenagers are drawn to.  So, Underage Red.  I never thought of it in the crazy, child-trafficking, sexual ways that other people are saying.  They're also comparing it to "Lolita," which is a shade I've always adored not just because it's a great color, but because it makes me think of the Japanese Lolita fashion movement.

Like this.  Photo from here.

Kat Von D has never made any official statements about the Lolita lipstick, but the same people who call for the end for Underage Red make lewd statements about Lolita, too, and how it's about children being sexualized.

And that's totally fine if that's what the name means to you, because obviously nothing Kat says is going to change that, but just don't buy the lipstick.  If these names bother you so much, NARS has much worse (Orgasm, Deep Throat), but that doesn't seem to offend anyone THAT much. 

And I can't help but wonder if it's because NARS is a much bigger, more traditional, male-led company, whereas Kat Von D has complete control over her own, smaller makeup line.  And she's an alternative woman who many people just flat out don't like.  Because she helped that one guy cheat on America's sweetheart a while ago.  And because she's covered in tattoos and lives in the gothic mansion of my dreams.

Feel free to discuss below!  :)  Sorry for no makeup pictures this week--Life has been kicking my ass recently.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Lit Cosmetics Superfly Holographic Glitter Review



As you probably know by now, I fucking love glitter.  Glitter is my lifeblood.  So, I have no idea why I haven't purchased anything from Lit Cosmetics before now.  I just, I don't know.  I have no excuses. 

I picked up some holographic glitter in Superfly from Beautylish, and EEGADS is it magical.  It's a gunmetally color that's all rainbows all the time.  ALL THE TIME.  CONSTANT RAINBOWAGE.

I used Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy instead of the glitter adhesive that Lit sells, and it worked just fine.  I'm still going to try out their adhesive sometime (will probably get one of their kits next), but I went with what I had on-hand.  Pixie Epoxy is great, so I knew it would work.  I just treated the glitter as I would any other loose eyeshadow, and it worked as I expected.  No surprises!

PORN! (click to embiggen):


SO SPARKLY.

I was quivering in anticipation, couldn't wait to get it on my eyeballs.

I enhanced the photo a bit more than usual to get the glitter to show moar.

Aaaand here it is on my face!  I usually use Kat Von D's Tattoo Liner, but with glitter and loose shadows I usually have to use Stila's Stay All Day Liner.  I dunno why, but KVD doesn't do well with the Pixie Epoxy or something.  Also wearing Meow Cosmetics foundation and KVD lipstick in Lovecraft.  I also threw some random silver (Urban Decay?) in my inner crease, and another random Urban Decay in my outer Crease.  I have all the Vice palettes on-hand for such things.

THE GLORIOUS GLITTAR

It sucks that you can't see how blindingly holographic this is.

GLITTTERRR

Yepyepyep going to get a billion more of these.  They're $12 a pop, but eeehh I need moar glitter.  All the glitter!  I tried to capture how crazy holographic this glitter is in photographs, but you know how it is with holographic stuff--it's pretty hard to capture the rainbows.

<33

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Fine Like Einstein Nail Perlish Review

Moon Prism Power Maaaake UP!  :D
Sephora's Fine Like Einstein is super fabulous.  It's my favorite spring polish, but it's not PERFECT.  I've had to reapply it to my nails multiple times because they keep popping off.  My husband thinks my base coat has gone bad, and he may be right.  The nails I did sans base coat have done much better, and I've been having this same problem with other polishes recently.

I've also been trying out Lucky 13's Elemental Ward top coat, which I enjoy quite a bit.  It smells and acts like Seche Vite, but it doesn't goop up like Seche Vite does.  I've gone through so many bottles of that shit because it would solidify and goop up super fast.  It looks like I've found an alternative!  It has an adorable D-20 on it, too, which is great.

All in all, if you want a polish that is SUPER CRAZY OHMYGOSH HOLOGRAPHIC AND SPARKLY, then you need this.  Even if a lot of it chips off the next day.  But here, let me drown you in buckets of nail porn so you can see for yourself the majesty that is Fine Like Einstein:

Unicorn approved.

UGH SPARKLES EVERYWHERE YES


I felt like a magical princess ;D
I MEAN ARE YOU SEEING THESE SPARKLES
AND IN THE SUNLIGHT!  I DIE!
I'm pretty sure you need this in your life.

There you have it.  Super crazy sparkly.  I don't even know why you're still here and not running to buy this polish.

<33

Friday, March 6, 2015

ZENDIKAR 2015, ALL THE YES

GUYS.  GUYS GUYS GUYS.

ZENDIKAR IS COMING BACK TO MAGIC THE GATHERING.


I CAN'T EVEN CONTAIN MYSELF OR TYPE IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN CAPS AND IF YOU'RE A PLAYER OF MAGIC THEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND.  IF I WASN'T AT THE OFFICE RIGHT NOW I'D BE SCREAMING WITH THE GLEE OF A THOUSAND SUNS.  DO SUNS SCREAM WITH GLEE?  I DON'T KNOW.

I JUST, I CAN'T, GUYS.  JUST, YES.  ALL THE YES.

Image from Tumblr, otaku4prez

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

No More Lime Crime!

Hey, everyone!

I recently found out about Lime Crime's security breach hack shit, and have decided that I'm pretty much done with the company.  I really do love their new eyeshadow palette a LOT, and will continue using it and all the other products I have from them, but I just don't think I can continue to support a brand that treats its customers so shittily.  I was going to do three more reviews, one of their eye primer (great), velvetines (which are also really great..), and the Geradium lipstick which is awful, but I'm going to refrain.  I might do the Geradium one so you can see how bad it is.

I think the company has potential to be really great, because they have awesome products (some of the lipsticks leave a little to be desired), but it suffers from a CEO who serves her own agenda and not that of her customers.  Their website's response was pretty good, though, so maybe there's hope for growth here. But there's still a lot of other shady things about the company, and I don't want to have to preface all my reviews with disclaimers about the brand's controversy, which I almost did for my two reviews this week.

Is anyone else torn about this?  I really like their products, but don't want to give them money until they shape up as a company, y'know?  Ugh!


Also, in case anyone is agonizing over wanting the Venus palette but you don't want to buy Lime Crime, there are some shades in Urban Decay Vice 3 that are really comparable, which I can make a post about later this week!

Lime Crime Retrofuturist Review ~


 So remember when I said I'd review Lime Crime's Retrofuturist like a year ago?  WELL HERE IT IS!



Lime Crime pretty much has me with its purple case and holographic unicorns.  Yes, HOLOGRAPHIC UNICORNS.  WHAT MORE COULD I EVER WANT IN A LIPSTICK?!

Packaging aside, this lipstick is pretty good.

Lime Crime Retrofuturist

 I mean, I don't have really high standards when it comes to lipstick.  Generally all I ask is that it look good on me and last at least until I use my lips for something.  I've tried various primers and voodoo methods for getting lipstick to stay forever (but I heard about some sorcery involving blotting and powder, so I'll get back to you on that), and I just can't get it to work out.  I guess I could re-apply it after lunch, but let's be honest with ourselves here, I'm too lazy for that.

I really liked how creamy this one was, though.

 Anyway, Lime Crime's lipstick met my expectations, and even exceeded them a bit in how creamy it was.  It looks dreadful after a meal, though, but that's likely due to the fact that I don't use any lipliner or primer at all.  I hate when I have the dreaded Lipstick Outline and nobody bothers to tell me about it.

Retrofuturist is really bright red, mmk?

Like with pretty much all lipsticks ever, you're going to get the best results if you regularly exfoliate and moisturize.  I use Lush's lip scrub in Mint Julips and their Lip Service lip balm afterwards.  You can also google how to make a simple lip scrub, but I've already established that I'm lazy.  I also like that the scrubs from Lush are edible. 

Yeah,  this shit is HAWT.

 But yeah, there's only so much you can say about a red lipstick.  This is a good one.  Is it the BEST ONE EVAR?  No.  Liquid lipsticks are better if you want something that lasts a long time, but this lipstick tube has a goddamn holographic unicorn on it.  I'm a sucker for that shit.  Bottom Line, I'll probably get more.   

LOOKIT DIS SHIT
 Also, this is my last Lime Crime review for a while, I PROMISE!  Well, maybe not promise, but I'll try.